Page 91 - Gulf Precis(VIII)_Neat

PART IV—CHAPTER XVI.
7*
Agreements were concluded with the Jam of Beyla, the Khan of Khelat and
the Chief of Kedgi for providing facilities for the construction of a land line from
Karachi to Gwadur and for its protection and maintenance (vide Aitchinson's
Treaties (1892), Volume IX, pages 394-396 and 401-404). * The line from
Karachi to Gwadur was completed on 30th April 1863 (see paragraph 13 of
Mr. Mansfield’s report dated 4th June
Political A., Auguit 1863, Nos. 63-67.
1863).
The steps taken to overcome the political difficulties in continuing the land
line from Gwadur onwards, are treated in the Mekran Prdcis.
There were then under consideration several points in regard to the pro­
posed connection with Bashirc and Basrah, viz.:—
(a) Whether a cable should be laid across the sea to Maskat and then
have a land line by way of the Batineh Coast, or whether it should
be laid right across to the Mussandom Peninsula. The latter
course was adopted as more feasible.
(b) Whether we should lease Gwadur from the Sultan of Maskat.
Mr. Mansfield, Commissioner in Sind, after a tour round the Gulf,
expressed an opinion in favour of the proposed lease. But the
Bombay Government and the Government of India decided against
it, and thought that what was required was lease only of the area
required for the telegraph
Political A., August 1863, Nos. 63-67.
station (Government of India
letter No. 484, dated 8th August 1863). Vide for further details
Mekran Precis, Chapter II.
(c) What arrangements should be made for constructing the line across
the Isthmus of Maklab.
(d) What should be the steps taken for continuing the line from
Baghdad. The Turkish Government insisted on constructing
the line themselves and making their own arrangements with the
Arab tribes from Baghdad to Fao. As the line would pass through
districts inhabited by Arabs hostile to the Turkish Government, an
alternative line from Baghdad to Tehran via Khannikin was sug­
gested.
(e) The British Government were anxious to construct an alternative line
from Bushire to Bandar Abbas and onwards to Gwadur. The
Persian Government were, however, suspicious of this enter­
prise and the Shah declined to entertain the question of land
line of telegraph eastwad from Bushire (see Political A., July
1866, Nos. 3-4). The negotiations resulted only in permitting the
British Government to continue the line from Gwadur to Bandar
Abbas under Convention dated 2ndfApril 1868 (Aitchison’s
Treaties, Volume X, page 80)—see Mekran Prtci’s, Chapter II.
The various political difficulties that arose from hostility of local tribes,
questions of jurisdiction and control and support from the Chiefs and Government
are dealt with in the several Precis prepared for the Gazetteer in connection with
the various local areas—Mekran, Trucial Chiefs and Turkish Arabia, and the
statement printed below indicates the dates on which the several stages of the
telegraphic lines were completed, the references in Goldsmid's Telegraph and
7ravel where an account of their construction is given and in the Pricis and
Aitchison’s Treaties in connection with the political arrangements

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